Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute Enters 2024 With Innovative Education And Social Impact Programs For All Ages

Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) enters 2024 with a wide range of initiatives that offer students and audiences of all ages the chance to explore music and the arts; encourage musical learning and play within families; train and support aspiring artists and educators; and harness the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

A suite of innovative programs—most offered at low or no cost to participants—connect more than 800,000 people each year with musical experiences, including many that feature collaborations with some of the world's greatest artists. Carnegie Hall continues to offer expanded digital programming to make musical learning and exploration available to the widest audience possible.

Next week from January 22–27, renowned soprano Renée Fleming will mentor eight aspiring young singers and eight collaborative pianists from around the world in the sixth year of SongStudio, an innovative program exploring the future of the vocal recital. The annual intensive workshop is hosted by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute and brings emerging vocalists and pianists together with leading artists and coaches for a week of instruction and performance at Carnegie Hall. For the first time, a culminating “Young Artists Recital” will be presented using the Center Stage configuration of Zankel Hall on Saturday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m. Further details follow below.

Other WMI highlights this winter include a Well-Being Concert featuring trumpeter Sean Jones and alums of Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz, presented in Zankel Hall Center Stage (Feb. 4); NYO-USA All-Stars, an orchestra made up of alums from Carnegie Hall's critically-acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of the USA, led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and featuring Daniil Trifonov as guest soloist (Mar. 14); and The B-Side, a program that introduces young people to career opportunities in the music industry through weekly workshops, field trips, panel discussions, and more (March–June).
 

“We are delighted to continue our wide-ranging programming, events, and training opportunities this winter for our dynamic WMI community,” said Sarah Johnson, Chief Education Officer and Director of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. “WMI's programs are co-designed with participants and responsive to what is happening in the world around us. We look for places and ways in which music can be transformative or catalytic in people's lives, and we actively lean into those spaces and ways of working. This season, we are particularly interested in exploring how musical experiences can create a greater sense of well-being and connection for participants and concert attendees.”
 

From January 22–27, renowned soprano Renée Fleming will mentor eight aspiring young singers and eight collaborative pianists from around the world in the sixth year of SongStudio, an innovative program exploring the future of the vocal recital. The annual intensive workshop—hosted by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute—brings emerging vocalists and pianists together with leading artists and coaches for a week of instruction and performance at Carnegie Hall. For the first time, the “Young Artists Recital” will be presented using the Center Stage configuration of Zankel Hall on Saturday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m. Baritone Will Liverman—who has received wide acclaim on both the operatic and recital stage, and as a composer and curator of new work—will serve as Creative Advisor for the first time. Liverman will consult with the participants on presentation concepts and staging approaches for their unique recital in Zankel Hall.

Leading artists and teachers Graham Johnson, Nicholas Phan, and Angel Blue lend their expert insight in public master classes throughout the week. Additional master classes are planned with stellar artists and ensembles this spring including with members from the Vienna Philharmonic (Feb. 29).

 

Earlier this season, Carnegie Hall announced its new series of Well-Being Concerts, intimate experiences that amplify the social, physical, and emotional benefits of musical performances. Inspired by evidence that music can help people heal and thrive, along with Carnegie Hall's mission to bring the transformative power of music to the widest possible audience, the Well-Being Concerts combine elements of mindfulness and meditation with performance. Artists are centered in the room surrounded by audience members on the same level, who are welcome to recline on floor mats and cushions. A host shares prompts and breathing exercises with the participants and invites them to share thoughts and reflections with their fellow audience members.

The Well-Being Concerts are also an experimental space and artistic laboratory where individual scholars and teams of scientists across disciplines can partner with Carnegie Hall to ask important questions about the relationship between music and health. Carnegie Hall's research partner this season is the Social Interaction Lab at the University of California, Berkeley under the guidance of Professor of Psychology, Dacher Keltner.

Concerts are presented this season with leading artists including cellist Joshua Roman, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, flutist and vocalist Nathalie Joachim, Kinan Azmeh's CityBand, and others. On February 4, trumpeter Sean Jones, and alums of Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz, will present a Well-Being Concert in Zankel Hall Center Stage.  

 

On Thursday, March 14 at 8:00 p.m., conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads NYO-USA All-Stars, an all-star ensemble made up of alums from Carnegie Hall's acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. The program for this special concert includes Shostakovich's rarely heard, monumental Symphony No. 7, "Leningrad", and Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F, featuring pianist Daniil Trifonov as soloist. In this performance, audiences will experience an orchestra made up of exceptional young professional musicians who previously took part in the Hall's NYO-USA over its first 10 years. Since its founding in 2013, more than 100 alums of NYO-USA have joined major orchestras and ensembles around the world including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, the MET Orchestra, the Royal Danish Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and more.

 

The B-Side, a program that introduces young people (ages 14–22) to career pathways in the music industry, returns with workshops this season from March–June 2024. Created for both aspiring artists and future music industry leaders alike, workshops help young people learn about the music business and connect them with music executives, accomplished writers, producers, engineers, performing artists and more for an in-depth look into the business of the industry. After highly successful pilot intensives in 2023, programming returns for two cohorts of young people ages 14–17 and 18–22. Weekly workshops for selected participants take place at Carnegie Hall to illuminate the many roles available at a record label and also feature field trips, guest speakers, panel discussions, and more. The B-Side also aims to address a lack of BIPOC representation in executive leadership of the music industry. 
 

This season, early childhood programs encourage connection, curiosity, and musical play in families.

From April 2–6, Camille's Rainbow—a performance specifically designed for babies and toddlers (ages 0–2), co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Minnesota Opera—returns with daily performances. In Camille's Rainbow, Camille ventures on a journey to discover herself with the help of her colorful friends Yo, Roo, and Boo. These one-of-a-kind performances are highly interactive, encourage creative play, and invite audiences to tap into their imagination and be a part of the show.

On Sunday, April 20, Family Day: Spring Fest invites children ages 3–10 and their caregivers to the Hall's Resnick Education Wing for a free daylong open house. This playful afternoon offers families a multitude of fun activities that celebrate the earth, nature, and all things spring. Sing and create new music, experience a sound meditation inspired by nature, build instruments, dance along to lively performances, and more.

Ongoing throughout the season, Carnegie Hall's Lullaby Project pairs new and expectant parents and caregivers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting parental health, aiding child development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child. The heartwarming songs written by parents and artists over the course of the season will be presented in a special Lullaby Project Celebration Concert on Saturday, June 1 in Zankel Hall.

 

Meaningful work continues this season at Sing Sing Correctional Facility through Musical Connections, with men working alongside Carnegie Hall teaching artists to create new music and develop creative skills, sharing their unique artistic voices. This season has featured a number of exciting workshops and concerts with special guests, including a partnership with the Metropolitan Opera to bring an abridged version of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking—starring Joyce DiDonato and featuring Musical Connections participants—to Sing Sing. The Musical Connections advisory committee—composed of men who have returned home and meet monthly for support and music-making—continues to grow and respond to the needs and musical interests of its members.

Carnegie Hall continues its work in justice settings with young people through Future Music Project, which gives teens from across New York City the opportunity to create, perform, and produce their own original music across all genres. In partnership with the Administration for Children's Services, youth who are justice-involved use music production and creation as a tool for critical thinking and self-expression. Weekly workshops are led by teaching artists as participants learn about songwriting, performance, and various musical traditions through instruction, curriculum, and interaction with visiting artists. Future Music Project takes place in both secure and non-secure detention centers across New York City. This year, Future Music Project offers curated monthly concerts for participants and staff at two secure detention centers. In each performance, artists perform for the young people and answer questions about their career paths and journey in the music industry. Both Musical Connections and Future Music Project explore how the arts can be a powerful tool for self-expression and justice reform.

 

Musical Explorers concerts return in May 2024, celebrating music from diverse cultures across the globe. Each season, Musical Explorers introduces children in New York City and around the country to different artists and musical traditions as they build fundamental music skills through listening, singing, and moving. Elementary schoolchildren, teachers, and families in New York City return for vibrant, highly interactive concerts featuring Kenyan song traditions, bluegrass, and Armenian folk music in Zankel Hall from May 7–11.

Link Up—WMI's longest-running music education program—introduces the orchestra to students in grades 3–5 as they learn to sing and play an instrument in their classroom and perform with a professional orchestra from their seats at a culminating concert at Carnegie Hall each spring. The program has expanded across the globe, as partner orchestras utilize Link Up materials in their own communities. Link Up: The Orchestra Swings concerts take place in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage from May 21–23, and will feature a full orchestra and big band.

From September to June, New York City area teachers at all stages of their careers take part in Music Educators Workshop which features monthly workshops with student ensembles and visiting faculty, insight from professional artists, and tickets to Carnegie Hall concerts. A culminating concert featuring teachers who participate in the program will be held in Zankel Hall on June 8.
 

 

Program Listings

Well-Being Concerts
World-class musical performances combined with elements of self-care and mindfulness.

For Students and Educators
Musical Explorers
Students in grades K–2 build basic music skills through musical traditions from around the world.

Link Up
Students in grades 3–5 explore the orchestra.

PlayUSA
Community music organizations across the country receive funding and support from Carnegie Hall for instrumental training programs.

Music Educators Workshop
K–12 music teachers receive training, support, and community from Carnegie Hall.

Ensemble Connect School Partnerships
NYC teachers partner with Ensemble Connect fellows to bring artistry and creativity to their schools.

For Families
Lullaby Project
New parents and parents-to-be build strong family bonds through songwriting.

Big Note, Little Note
Families engage with their babies in a range of musical experiences including musical play, singing, and more.

Family Events
Families with children ages 0–10 explore music with free and affordable events at Carnegie Hall, including Early Childhood Concerts, Family Days, and Family Concerts.

For Aspiring and Young Professional Artists
National Youth Ensembles
In 2024, young musicians ages 14-19 from across the country gather in New York for music-making and instruction from world class artists before embarking on tours around the globe.

The B-Side
Young artists and future industry leaders learn essential skills about music business and connect to industry professionals.

Workshops and Master Classes
Young professional musicians train with leading artists of our time.

Ensemble Connect
As part of a two-year fellowship, young professional classical musicians receive training in musical excellence, teaching, and entrepreneurship at Carnegie Hall.

In the Justice System
Musical Connections
Men at Sing Sing Correctional Facility work alongside visiting artists to compose and perform original music through workshops and performances. An advisory board composed of men who have returned home provides support along with music-making and performance opportunities.

Future Music Project
Young musicians ages 14–19 in juvenile justice settings create, perform, and produce their own original music.
 

For more information and videos exploring Weill Music Institute programs, visit carnegiehall.org/education.

Carnegie Hall thanks its generous supporters of the Weill Music Institute's education and social impact programs. For a full list of funders, please visit: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Education/WMI-Supporters

The Feb. 4 Well-Being Concert featuring Sean Jones is sponsored by Northwell Health, Official Healthcare Partner of Carnegie Hall.

Support for SongStudio is provided by the Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation.

SongStudio is part of the Marilyn Horne legacy at Carnegie Hall.

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